Biological information on the mantis shrimp, Harpiosquilla raphidea (Fabricius 1798) (Stomatopoda, Crustacea) in Indonesia with a highlight of its reproductive aspects

Abstract

We conducted a study on the biology of mantis shrimp Harpiosquilla raphidea collected from a mudflat at the mouth of Tungkal River, Jambi Province, Indonesia. Some biological information is described such as sex ratio, size frequency distribution of the population, and gonad maturity stage of females. Gonad development was also observed in a laboratory. The results showed that for the entire population, the sex ratio was female biased. Three stages of gonad maturity occurred in the population indicating continual breeding. Based on the laboratory observation, shrimp collected from the field started to develop gonad within two weeks.